Around the Well

Jason Kenney – Mariya Muzychuk
12th Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival; Catalan Bay, January 28, 2014
English Opening A37

1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. Nf3 e5 6. 0-0 Nge7 7. a3 d6 8. b4 e4 9. Ng5!? A controversial, well-known line, with White offering to sacrifice the Knight for three Pawns. 9. ... h6 10. Ngxe4 f5 11. bxc5 fxe4 12. cxd6 Qxd6 13. Nxe4 Qc7 14. Rb1 0-0 15. d3 Kh7. A somewhat cryptic novelty. 16. a4? White’s strategic plan is quite pointless. After 16. Bf4, however, it is very likely that Miss Tactics would have replied 16. ... Rxf4 17. gxf4 Qxf4 with very interesting possibilities. 16. ... b6 17. Bb2 Bxb2 18. Rxb2 Be6 19. Qa1. In true Hypermodern style. 19. ... Rad8 20. Rd2 Qe5. Without fear of playing the endgame. 20. ... Nd4 was also good, aiming for a more dynamic advantage. 21. Qxe5 Nxe5 22. Rc1 Nf5 23. h3. Black is playing too passively at this stage. If, instead, 23. f4 then 23. ... Ng4 with satisfactory play for Black. 23. ... Nd4 24. Rb2 g5! Very well played, establishing an iron grip on the centre. 25. Ra1 Nec6 26. Kf1. Here 26. c5 was probably best, as 26. ... bxc5 27. Nxc5 Bd5 28. Nb7 Rd7 29. Nc5 would lead to a draw by repetition of moves. 26. ... Rf7 27. Nd2 Rdf8 28. f3. An ugly-looking move, but after 28. Ne4 Na5 Black stands better anyway. 28. ... Re7 29. Nb3 Nxb3 30. Rxb3 Bd7 31. Rb2 Re5 32. Rb5 Rff5? Mariya’s only inaccuracy. With 32. ... Re3 33. Kf2 Rfe8 Black retained a definite advantage.

33. Rxe5? Mr. Kenney misses his great chance here: 33. f4! gxf4 34. g4 f3 (not 34. ... Rg5? 35. h4! Rxg4 36. Bxc6 and wins) 35. gxf5 fxg2+ 36. Kf2 and White turns the tables. 33. ... Rxe5 34. Kf2 Nd4. White must have felt very uneasy in such an endgame. 35. Ra2 Ra5 36. e3 Ne6 37. f4 gxf4 38. gxf4 Rxa4 39. Rd2. White couldn’t believe that he could survive the minor-piece endgame with a Black passed a-Pawn (after 39. Rxa4 Bxa4). 39. ... Kg6 40. Kf3 Nc5 41. e4. Some commentators recommended 41. d4, but after 44. ... Bc6+ 42. Kg4 h5+ 43. Kg3 Ne4+ 44. Bxe4 Bxe4 Black should win anyway in the long run. 41. ... Ra3 42. Bf1 b5 43. f5+ Kf7 44. Kf4 bxc4 45. dxc4 Bc6 46. Rd6. White is overloaded: if 46. Bg2 then 46. ... Rc3. 46. ... Bxe4 47. Be2 Rxh3 0 : 1.

Mariya Muzychuk
Photo: ukrchess.com